Portable wire-bound box



May 16 11950 Filed May 26, 1949 R. H. COLLIER PORTABLE WIREBOUND BOX 2 Sheecs-Sheec 1 ga M m 4. I: C)

R. H. COLLIER PORTABLE WIREBOUND BOX Filed May 26, 1 949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 (36L as 2/ W Mr 30 34 Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT Robert H. Collier, oak Park, ,1'1i,, assignor to Inter national Harvester Company, a corpor'ationot New Jersey Application May 26, 1949; Serial No. 95,424 1 "1 Claims. (01. 217-12) This invention relates to. a portable material handling box. More specifically, the invention relates to a portable material handlingbox that may readily be used inthe transporting of .mechanical parts and which is constructed so that it may easily be utilized as a storage bin when the box has reached its destination.

The prime object of this invention is to provide a portable box. structure that is particularly suited andadapted for use as a bin, the box being constructed so that a plurality of. them can be stacked in superposed relation, each box including a novel door construction for permitting access to any one of the boxes.

Another object is to. provide an improved wirebound box construction, the wirebound box including a plurality of side panels, one of said side panels having a sliding door section which may readily be vertically displaced to provide an access opening into the box. p

A still further object is to provide a novel bin construction having a. sliding door in one side thereof, the bin including a'novel guiding arrangement. in the form of a plurality of peripherally extending. flexible members arranged to secure the box in assembly and to provide guide means for guiding and retaining the sliding door in connected relation with. the box upon the movement of the door to an open position.

Still another object is to provide a novel sliding door arrangement for a portable box, the arrangement including a plurality of flexible strands connected about the periphery of the box.

These and other objects will be fu'rtherapparent from a reading of the description and upon examination of the drawings.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of a portable bin or box construction," the view showing a sliding side section of the box positioned in an open position.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional .view through the box structure taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig- 1.

Fig. 3.is a side perspective view showing a pair of port-able box constructions, one stacked upon the other in superposed relation.

A portable bin or box structure is generally designated by the reference character I0. The box structure I includes a pallet base ll having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending base members l2. A platform I3 is vertically positioned with respect to the parallel base members l2 and is supported by means of 'a plurality ofiv horizontally ,spaced supports 14. The supports [4 are each provided withcut-outportions l5 which provide an'opening at the ends of the pallet base H for the'entryoi aconventi'ona'l' Thesupports !4 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3 arespaced with respect toeach other, thus :pro'vidtype of fork lifting truck. (not shown).

ingopenings I6 at opposite sides of the pallet base ll.

structure ID by means of a conventional lift truck.

The latform 13 is 'providedwitha pluralityof end cleats I! which extend along the peripheral edge of the platform [3. A plurality of vertically extending. side panels l8 are supported on'tlie platform I3, the side panels l8 being securely held at their lower. edges by means'of the cleats ll. of longitudinallyextendin'g supporting braces I 9 which. may be attached to the panels in a con ventional mariner. For the purpose of disc1osure,-

the sidepanels [8 are shown of wooden board construction, the boards being connected inend to end relation by means of the supporting braces l9. box structuregcan readily be made of any suitable material without departir'ig in any way from the invention as disclosed.

A top 20 issupported onthe upper ends of the side panels. I8, the top including a plurality of longitudinally extending boards' 2l suitablyconnected together by means of cleats 22.

As best shown'in Fig. 1, aside panel 18 is pro- .vided with an upper sliding panel "or section- 24. The sliding section 24 maybe of board "construction and is firmly secured togetherby means;

of a plurailty of longitudinally extending "cleats 25. A lower stationary section'21,'as. best shown in Fig. 3, is positioned beneath the u'pper sliding section or panel 24. The stationary section 21 is firmly secured together: by means of a plurality of longitudinally extending cleats 28. The connection of thecleats'28 to the'panel '21 may be conventional.

The stationary section 21' 'is "rigidly secured to the box structure I0 by'm'eans of a plu'r'ality These openings .16 also are. provided to facilitate. the raising and lowering of the box Theside panels [8. also include a plurality It is, of course, readily apparent that the 3 other. The short sections of wire 32 are connected to the end portions 3! by twisting and bending them over until a taut connection is secured.

The upper sliding panel 24 is also secured on the box in a closed position as best shown in Fig. 3 by means of flexible wire straps 30 that extend longitudinally about the upper periphery of the box, each of the flexible wire straps 30 being secured in a conventional manner to the panels [8. The upper sliding section 24 also includes a plurality of horizontally extending short sections of wire 32 which are arranged to engage the flexible end portions 3! in twisting relation for securely connecting the sliding section in its closed position.

The box structure also includes a plurality of guide wires 34. The guide wires 34 are spaced longitudinally with respect to one another and extend about the periphery of the box. They include horizontal sections 35 which extend over the top 20 and underneath the platform 13 and vertical sections 36 for rigidly securing the box structure I U to the pallet base H. The guide wires 34 provide a guiding arrangement for securing the upper sliding section 24 over the lower stationary section 21 when the sliding section 24 has been vertically displaced to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this, the open position, an access 31 is provided into the box structure. The guide wires 34 securely hold the upper sliding section 24 in its open position, and when it is desired to close the access 31 of the bin the sliding section 24 can readily be moved upwardly for closing the access.

It can readily be seen that an inexpensive portable wirebound box has been provided that is readily adapted for use as a bin. By the novel arrangement of the guide wires, a simple, eflicient, and economical sliding arrangement is provided which can readily be utilized to convert the box into a bin when a plurality of these boxes are stacked in superposed relation. The novel arrangement of the flexible wire straps permits the sliding section to be readily and quickly closed over the access 31 by merely twisting the ends of the short section of wire 32 with the flexible end portions 3|. After the box has been shipped to its destination it is often desirable to provide an access to the box immediately without removing the box from the position in which it has been stacked with other boxes of similar construction. This is often the case where the box may contain mechanical parts that have to be readily available on short notice. In order to secure quick access to the box or bin the individual merely untwists the end portions 3! from the short sections of wire 32 and he thereupon can lower the upper sliding section 24 into place over the lower stationary section 21. The guide wires 34 serve to retain the upper sliding section 24 in this open position.

It is apparent that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved by the novel aspects of the invention as disclosed and it must be understood that modifications and changes may be made in the invention which do not depart from the spirit of the invention as disclosed nor the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A storage bin comprising in combination, a base, a platform supported on the base members in vertical spaced relation, means for supporting the platform on said base including a plurality of horizontally spaced supports connected to the base members and to the platform, a box structure supported on the platform, said structure including a plurality of vertical side panels having a top closure panel, one of said side panels including an upper sliding section adapted to be vertically displaced from a closed position on the box structure for providing an opening into said box structure, and a lower section rigidly secured to the box structure beneath said sliding section, means connecting the sliding section to the box structure in the closed position including a plurality of flexible members extending horizontally about the upper periphery of the box structure, said flexible members having flexible end portions projecting outwardly from the side panels of the box, short flexible elements on the sliding section for engaging the flexible end portions in twisted relation, and guide means for directing and securing the sliding section over the lower section during vertical displacement of the sliding section, said guide means including a plurality of flexible strands extending horizontally underneath the platform and vertically with respect thereto about the periphery of the box structure.

2. A storage bin comprising in combination, a base, a platform supported on the base in vertical spaced relation, means for supporting the platform on said base including a plurality of horizontally spaced supports connected to the base and to the platform, a box structure supported on the platform, said structure including a plurality of vertical side panels having a top closure panel, one of said side panels including an upper sliding section adapted to be vertically displaced from a closed position on the box structure for providing an opening into said box structure, and a lower section rigidly secured to the box structure beneath said sliding section, means connecting the sliding section to the box structure in the closed position including a plurality of flexible members extending horizontally about the upper periphery of the box structure, said flexible members having flexible end portions projecting outwardly from the side panels of the box, flexible elements on the sliding section for engaging the flexible end portions in twisted relation, and guide means for directing and securing the sliding section over the lower section during vertical displacement of the sliding section.

3. A storage bin comprising in combination, a base, a platform supported on the base in vertical spaced relation, means for supporting the platform on said base including a plurality of horizontally spaced supports connected to the base and to the platform, a box structure supported on the platform, said structure including a plurality of vertical side panels having a top closure panel, one of said side panels including an upper sliding section adapted to be vertically displaced from a closed position on the box structure for providing an opening into said box structure, and a lower section rigidly secured to the box structure beneath said sliding section, means connecting the sliding section to the box structure in the closed position, and guide means for directing and securing the sliding section over the lower section during vertical displacement of the sliding section, said guide means including a plurality of flexible strands extending horizontally underneath the platform and vertically with respect thereto about the periphery of the box structure.

A storage bin comprising a box structure having a base, a plurality of vertical side panels supported by the base and a top connected to the side panels, one of said side panels including a lower stationary section, an upper sliding section positioned above said stationary section, said upper section being adapted to be vertically displaced from a closed position for providing an opening in the box structure, means connecting the sliding section to the box structure in the closed position including a plurality of flexible members extending horizontally about the upper periphery of the box structure, said flexible members having flexible end portions projecting outwardly from the box structure, flexible elements on the sliding section adapted to engage the end portions in twisted relation, and guide means for guiding the sliding section over the stationary section during vertical sliding displacement of the sliding section, said guide: means including a plurality of longitudinally spaced strands extending vertically and horizontally about the periphery of the box structure.

5. A storage bin comprising a box structure having a base, a plurality of vertical side panels supported by the base and a top connected to the side panels, one of said side panels including a, stationary section, a sliding section positioned adjacent said stationary section, said sliding section being adapted to be vertically displaced from a closed position for providing an opening in the box structure, means connecting the sliding section to the box structure in the closed position, and guide means for guiding the sliding section over the stationary section during vertical sliding displacement of the sliding section, said guide means including a plurality of longitudinally spaced strands extending vertically and horizontally about the periphery of the box structure.

6. A storage bin comprising a box structure having a base, a plurality of vertical side panels supported by the base and a top connected to the side panels, one of said side panels including a lower stationary section, an upper sliding section positioned above said stationary section, said upper section being adapted to be vertically displaced from a closed position for providing an opening in the box structure, means connecting the sliding section to the box structure in the closed position including a plurality of flexible members extending horizontally on the box structure, said flexible members having flexible end portions, flexible elements on the sliding section adapted to be secured to the end portions, and guide means for guiding the sliding section over the stationary section during vertical sliding displacement of the sliding section, said guide means including a plurality of longitudinally spaced strands extending vertically and horizontally about the periphery of the box structure.

7. A storage bin comprising a box structure having a base, a top and a \plurality of vertical side panels, one of said side panels including an upper sliding section arranged to be vertically displaced from a closed position to provide an access into said box structure, a lower section connected to said box structure beneath the upper sliding section, means detachably securing the sliding section to the box structure in the closed position, and guide means for guiding the sliding section from a closed position to an open position over the lower section, said guide means including a plurality of horizontally spaced flexible strands connected to the box structure and extending vertically in coextensive relation with respect to one of the side panels.

ROBERT H. COLLIER.

No references cited. 

